Dunfermline eliminated holders Aberdeen from the Scottish Cup with a surprising 3-0 victory at KDM Group East End Park. The Championship side took control early and never looked back, leaving the travelling Aberdeen support stunned.
Midfielder Matty Todd opened the scoring after 14 minutes, finishing high past Dimitar Mitov after Robbie Fraser’s searching cross and a messy clearance from Mitchell Frame. Just eight minutes later 20-year-old loanee Olly Thomas doubled the lead with his first goal for the Pars since joining from Bristol City: Fraser set him up, Mitov blocked the initial effort but the rebound came back off Thomas and into the net.
Around 4,000 Aberdeen fans had made the trip to Fife; they booed their team off at half-time and many emptied the away end around the hour mark after Thomas struck the decisive third on the break. Tom McIntyre had earlier produced a timely block to deny Alfons Amade from a Thomas cutback, but momentum remained with the hosts.
Aberdeen manager Peter Leven, still in interim charge following Jimmy Thelin’s departure two months ago, made three half-time substitutions — bringing on Sivert Nilsen, Toyosi Olusanya and Gavin Molloy for Frame, Nicolas Milanovic and Lyall Cameron — as his side searched for a way back into the tie. The result compounded a difficult spell for the Granite City club, who had already been confirmed to finish in the bottom half of the Premiership after Wednesday’s defeat to Celtic.
The second half saw Aberdeen press and pin Dunfermline back at times, but a classic counter-attack produced the killer blow. Chris Kane fed Thomas, whose shot beat Mitov and nestled in off the far post to make it 3-0. Aberdeen rarely recovered: Mitov pushed a Charlie Gilmour effort wide, Kane’s header from a corner drifted past the far post, and the keeper also denied Andy Tod as Dunfermline continued to threaten on the break.
The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive and deserved win for Dunfermline, who earlier in the competition had knocked out Premiership side Hibernian and now join Falkirk and two others in the hat for the semi-final draw. The home supporters gave the Pars a warm ovation as they celebrated another memorable cup scalp.